N82448 – PIPER PA-18-150 – 2011-08-30 NTSB Accident Report

On August 30, 2011, a Piper PA-18-150 (N82448) was involved in an incident near Cape Yakataga, AK. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot inadvertently switching off the engine magnetos during the initial climb, resulting in a loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the manufacturer's placement of the magneto switches.

The pilot reported that during the initial climb, he inadvertently switched off the engine magneto switches on the left side of the cabin with his coat sleeve while using the trim handle, and the airplane's engine shutdown. He realized the problem, but due to the airplane's low altitude, he decided to land instead of trying to restart the engine and climb over obstacles at the end of the airstrip. The airplane touched down in an area of tree stumps and brush, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

Examination of the magneto switches on the accident airplane, and other like models, revealed that a pilot's coat sleeve can come in contact with the guarded magneto switches.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC11CA089. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N82448.